ISMAIL ASKEROV

Languages

AzerbaijaniEnglishRussianTurkish

Ismail is the Managing Partner of MGB Law Offices with over 23 years of experience in corporate, project finance, telecom and aircraft finance. He has been representing oil and gas corporations, export credit agencies and international financial institutions (such as EBRD and IFC) on cross border financing and high profile M&A projects. His experience also extends to advising consortium of international and investment banks and credit agency in downstream financing in connection with a multi-million facility for the development, construction of a major refinery in Turkey (“Project Star”) as well as syndicated finance of the foreign lenders on the well-known BTC pipeline project. He has been regularly advising oil and gas service companies on creation of joint venture companies and strategic alliances with Azerbaijani companies.

Ismail has also extensively assisted his multinational clients on various legal matters including energy, data protection, franchising/distribution and aircraft finance/lease matters. For many years he has been providing practical regulatory advice in heavily regulated industries, such as oil and gas, banking, insurance, aviation and pharmaceuticals.

Ismail is Leading Lawyer and highly recommended by Legal 500, IFLR and Chambers Global.

Education

Diploma in Law, , Moscow Academy of Economics, Finance and Law1989

Academic Study in Law, Centre for Commercial Law Studies, University of London, 1994

Admitted to Practice

Azerbaijan and Russia – 1989

Member of the Collegium of Advocates of the Republic of Azerbaijan entitles, inter alia, to appear before the Supreme Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan), since 2004

Member of International Bar Association, since 1992

Professional Honours

Leading Lawyer, IFLR1000 Financial and Corporate, 2016-2017

Leading Lawyer, Legal 500 EMEA 2017

Highly Ranked Lawyer, Chambers Asia Pacific, 2017

Expertise

Corporate and M&A
Project Finance
Oil and Gas
Contracts Aviation

Representative Matters

Acted for the consortium of banks under multi-billion financing project to SOCAR related to construction of major refinery in Turkey (“Project Star”).

Acted for the regional cargo air fleet operator under the aircraft finance lease related to purchase of two Boeing 747-8F backed by US Ex-Im’s Guarantees.

Acted for the lender in the IFC financing and investment of the Baku Coca-Cola bottling plant.

Assisting Starwood hotel group in reviewing and negotiating a hotel management agreement with local owner re Sheraton hotel located at Baku airport.

Acted for AXA in acquisition of a leading insurance company in Azerbaijan.

Acted for EBRD under secured financing of an agro-processing company.

Acted for the syndicate of lenders in financing of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export pipeline.

Acted for the export credit agency in multi-million financing of Azerbaijan Satellite Program.

Acted for the lender in the secured financing of two anchor handling tugs by a major international bank.